Monday, September 19, 2011

High School Memories

My son had his Homecoming date last Saturday night and they were doing a progressive dinner before the dance. We were in charge of making the main course, so I chose to do a lasagna with homemade breadsticks and vegetables. We set the table with our china and best crystal with the candles lit and I must say, that was a pretty table. With a Dean Martin CD in the background, the mood was set for a wonderful Italian dinner.

As the four couples came in and sat down, we served them their dinner, then went into the family room to watch our favorite football team. We could hear the rumble of laughter coming from the dining room and I thought about what a wonderful memory my son would have of this night with his friends. High school is such a time of turmoil--wonderful and horrible all at the same time. I thought back to my own high school years and while I enjoyed them, I don’t think I’d want to relive them. All of my best memories though, were things I did with my friends, and I’m so glad my children will have the same opportunities to share wonderful dates, dances, and activities with their friends.

What is your best high school memory?

(If you are interested, this is a family favorite of ours, and so easy!)

Easy and Yummy Lasagna

1lb. extra lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (optional)
1 1/2 ounces package spaghetti sauce mix
2 cups canned tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
8 lasagna noodles
1 egg
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 c. cottage cheese

Brown beef and onion. Drain well. Stir in seasonings and tomato sauce. Stir occasionally while you mix in a bowl egg, parsley flakes, parmesan cheese and cottage cheese.

In a 9x13 baking dish, layer 1 cup sauce, 4 dry noodles and half the cottage cheese mixture, spreading it evenly over the noodles. Repeat the sauce, noodles, and cottage cheese mixture, then top with remaining sauce. Cover with tin foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 minutes or until noodles are tender. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

11 comments:

Jon Spell said...

I have a lot of fond memories of high school (and a few I'd like to forget.) Most of the good ones involve me hanging out with friends. The one that will always make me smile is the post-prom-party.

After the Senior Prom, a bunch of us went over to a friend's house for games. My friends were intellectuals (fine, nerds) and not the drinking types. We all went over to Christine's to play games until the wee hours of the morning. We were playing charades and our host left the room to see someone off. The rest of us guessers looked at the stack of clues and waited for Christine to come back and act out the clues. Since we knew all the clues, we deliberately guessed anything but the right one, even throwing in the actual clue for an earlier one.

Items I remember:
cow bell, bumper sticker, the Mona Lisa

We were all laughing so hard by the time we confessed. =)

Dora Hiers said...

Sounds like your son and his friends had a fabulous time. What a great idea!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I don't have any good high school memories. IT was a really awkward time and I was a nerd.

Angie said...

Thanks for the recipe. Yum! Some of my favorite memories from high school are going to the football games. Weird since I am so not a football fan. But now I like going to them again to here my boys play in the band.

Stephanie Black said...

I think you summed it up perfectly when you said you enjoyed high school but don't think you'd want to relive it. I agree! It was great fun at the time, but I wouldn't want to do it again :) I wouldn't mind having the metabolism of a 17-year-old, however . . . sigh.

bridgetstraub.com said...

Aren't you nice to share your recipie. Is it awful that my favorite high school memories are of cutting class? Probably, huh?

Melanie Goldmund said...

Michael Offutt -- I agree! It was a very awkward time and I was a nerd, too. In my junior and senior years, though, I was a library aide. The library is where I have most of my fond memories, perhaps because I felt I was at home in my natural habitat among the books.

Crystal said...

My favourite high school memory would be having lunch over at my best friend's house. She and our other best friend would gather at her mother's dining room table, have tea and sandwiches and play a round of Crazy Eights.

Debra Erfert said...

My favorite high school memory wasn't triggered until I read Ctystal's, strangely enough. My senior year, my mom let me skip school every Friday (I only had two classes) and I stayed home with her. This was a very special year for me--really, the last year I had with her before she passed away.

I'll try your recipe when I start eating carbs again. Yummy sounding.

Sarah Tokeley said...

I was very glad to escape school!
The progressive dinner sounds like a wonderful idea.

Julie Coulter Bellon said...

Jon, cowbell brought back a few memories for me, too! Haha

Thanks, Dora! It was a lot of fun.

Michael, most "nerds" I knew in high school turned out to be wonderful men. But yeah, not something fun to relive.

Angie, I liked the football games, too. Lots of fun cheering and being with friends, for sure.

Stephanie I am totally with you on the metabolism thing.

Bridget, that made me smile. :)

Melanie, I loved the library, too!

Crystal, what a great memory to have.

Debra, you made me tear up with that. Thanks for sharing something so special.

Sarah, I think you and I are kindred spirits. :)